Alcoholism is a disease! It is considered a progressive disease because over time and years the drinking becomes more intense and the results more severe.  It also takes its toll on the body and breaks it down to cause damage to different organs over this time of abuse. Alcoholism, like many other known diseases, can range in severity from mild to life threatening with alcohol dependency being the most severe form.

Alcoholism can be very difficult to diagnose due to the fact that most individuals with a drinking problem are in denial about it. Although friends and family can answer honestly about whether or not there is a problem, most of the time the affected individual will not be so willing to admit it. By the way, denial is one of the most common symptoms of alcohol dependency. Unlike other diseases, it can be very difficult for a medical professional to diagnose, so the willingness of the individual to be honest about how much they drink plays a critical role in that diagnosis.

Symptoms include three or more of the following:

• Inability to complete work or school activities
• Needing larger amounts of alcohol to achieve the high associated with drinking
• Uncontrolable desire to drink and unable to say no
• Continue to drink knowing what the dangers are
• Experience withdrawals such as nausea, vomiting, shakiness, headaches, sweating, anxiety...after you've stopped drinking
• Drinking more excessively than you did in the past

Alcoholism can be diagnosed, however, that diagnosis is best determined by the individual who is dependent on alcohol. Diagnosis, or the admission there is a problem is the most important step to begin the recovery process.